Boat fixations

[LittleSister]

The thing about cruising is that's it's not a race . . .

. . . unless a similar or slightly longer/sportier boat is nearby and on a similar course.

 

[john_morris_uk]

We have self tailers for folding etc, but our jib sheet winches are not. Those ones are also our halyard winches. I find a rope won’t actually self tail for 10 metres anyway, so don’t miss it for sheets and halyards.

That’s slightly confusing to me. We have self tailers on the sheets etc and the routine is pull in by hand the vast majority and then sheet over the stripper arm and into the self tailer jaws and wind. You can do it single handed as you can get all your weight over the top of the winch and you don’t need to tail with one hand while winding with the other.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The thing about cruising is that's it's not a race - some days are just pure pootling and others may have an aim - but not necessarily speed.

Sometimes it's more important to arrive rested or to give the crew an easy, relaxed experience.

We've had a couple of short jumps recently where the choice ('cos of tidal gates) was to anchor off, heave to or just sail really slowly near the attractive coastline with a cup of coffee - you can whiz past us and "destroy" us, but I reckon we were winning.

We also crossed Tor Bay & back with 2nd reefs in - when everyone else was under full sail - why? 'cos my 88 year old FIL was on board & a very comfortable sail was the priority.

We do ok if we need to crack on - but just 'cos you've gone past us doesn't mean you've won!

You’re right, we're not racing you. My post was purely at Concerto’s having overtaken a DF28. They were just poodling about with their Alsation, obviously.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Absolutely.

The time I feel that cruising sailors would be better served with better sail trim is in either the heavy, when I see too many flappy baggy sails and jibs not sheeted home on boats trying to make progress to windward. When better attention to sail trim would have them heeling less, going faster, and spending less time bashing to windward. Giving everyone on board a better experience. Sail trim isn't just about going faster, it's also about comfort.

And then in light winds, where more knowledge of sail trim would mean better progress in lighter winds, and less resorting to the engine to make the deadline....

There’s a lot in that. We’ve sailed in company with another almost identical hulled boat and we invariably sail MUCH faster. It probably helps that we’ve a nicely cut fully battened main and genoa and they’ve got in mast reefing etc. I’d like to think we know something about sail trim too.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That’s slightly confusing to me. We have self tailers on the sheets etc and the routine is pull in by hand the vast majority and then sheet over the stripper arm and into the self tailer jaws and wind. You can do it single handed as you can get all your weight over the top of the winch and you don’t need to tail with one hand while winding with the other.

Different boat, different setup and technique. We don’t winch the jib at all when tacking, unless the tack is a cock up.It comes in by hand all the way. The sheet is of course marked, for this purpose. We pre wrap the winch, and there's a cam cleat to take the tail.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Different boat, different setup and technique. We don’t winch the jib at all when tacking, unless the tack is a cock up.It comes in by hand all the way. The sheet is of course marked, for this purpose. We pre wrap the winch, and there's a cam cleat to take the tail.

Understood. Ours is a masthead rig with a big overlapping genoa and no matter how fast in and slow out of the tack there’s no way to avoid winching the last meter or so.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Understood. Ours is a masthead rig with a big overlapping genoa and no matter how fast in and slow out of the tack there’s no way to avoid winching the last meter or so.

7/8ths rig with 105% jib. A world of difference. I do jib on a Contessa 32 sometimes, I understand the issue.

 

[flaming]

There’s a lot in that. We’ve sailed in company with another almost identical hulled boat and we invariably sail MUCH faster. It probably helps that we’ve a nicely cut fully battened main and genoa and they’ve got in mast reefing etc. I’d like to think we know something about sail trim too.

It's the whole "I don't need to bother about sail trim, I'm cruising" attitude that is often prevalent here. And sure, you don't need that last few %, but there is often a lack of honesty about the difference to the enjoyment levels in "less than optimum" conditions that attention to sail trim can make.

 

[johnalison]

It's the whole "I don't need to bother about sail trim, I'm cruising" attitude that is often prevalent here. And sure, you don't need that last few %, but there is often a lack of honesty about the difference to the enjoyment levels in "less than optimum" conditions that attention to sail trim can make.

You are right in that it's the whole experience rather than just speed. I get no pleasure from trying to sail to windward with an under-canvassed boat, which is the sort of thing that happens when sailing with a reef and the wind drops, especially when it is so variable that you know that it is going to pick up again very shortly. All the poor boat can do is just wallow from wave to wave, generally forcing the helm to bear off from fully close-hauled just to keep way on.

Another time is on a reach, which should be great fun but isn't if the boat doesn't want to go the same way as you, when a little adjustment can balance things again. This will differ between boats but on mine it is often just the clew tension that needs changing.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

It's the whole "I don't need to bother about sail trim, I'm cruising" attitude that is often prevalent here. And sure, you don't need that last few %, but there is often a lack of honesty about the difference to the enjoyment levels in "less than optimum" conditions that attention to sail trim can make.

I can't be bothered with all this fiddling around with sail trim. I just hoy 'em up, crank 'em in, & stick George on. I regularly get trounced by Centaurs & Fulmars. And A22's of course.

 

[Bristolfashion]

Of course, nonchalantly "not" racing but either beating a much larger / faster / more modern boat or giving 'em a tough time is pretty amusing as well.

Although, I think that there are a few sailors who relish making everything a race and feel rather let down when another boat refuses to play & just carries on having a coffee or watching the dolphins.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I can't be bothered with all this fiddling around with sail trim. I just hoy 'em up, crank 'em in, & stick George on. I regularly get trounced by Centaurs & Fulmars. And A22's of course.

Lets face it, we all have to put up with A22s flying past.

 

[mjcoon]

Lets face it, we all have to put up with A22s flying past.

Foiled again?

 

[trapper guy]

feel rather let down when another boat refuses to play & just carries on having a coffee or watching the dolphins.

that would be me usually, i gave up boy racing in my 30's, no intention of taking it back up in my 50's.
besides, ive been sailing 3 months, pretty much everybody out there is going to have more experience than me, and certainly all appear to have crew, whereas im doing it all by myself.
arriving at the destination on time for tides etc is my only goal, and getting there as comfortably as possible.

 

[onesea]

Of course, nonchalantly "not" racing but either beating a much larger / faster / more modern boat or giving 'em a tough time is pretty amusing as well.

Although, I think that there are a few sailors who relish making everything a race and feel rather let down when another boat refuses to play & just carries on having a coffee or watching the dolphins.

The art is to pass them whilst making then drinking coffee. To show your not even trying...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The art is to pass them whilst making then drinking coffee. To show your not even trying...

Well, yes. If you see a Dragonfly go by with a couple drinking tea on board, it’s probably us. It’s fun to sail through people’s lee too, as well as being polite. Polite as long as you don’t then outpoint them and leave them wallowing in your bad air.

 

[Supertramp]

Even motorsailers can enjoy getting the sail trim right. And even on slow heavy boats getting it right makes a big difference.

Plus you can still make tea in 25knts....

 

[yoda]

Highly desirable - meets my criteria
Essential - Mrs Yoda agrees that we should buy it.

Simples!

 

[john_morris_uk]

Highly desirable - meets my criteria
Essential - Mrs Yoda agrees that we should buy it.

Simples!

Mrs Yoda is a woman of impeccable taste. Say hi to H from us.

At the moment, ‘highly desirable’ for us is Serendipity surviving the hurricane season unscathed.